Matt 8:25-27 Looking to God in our trials

Matt 8:25-27

When the disciples witnessed a raging storm, they felt overwhelmed by the size of the waves. With good reason knowing that their natural abilities cannot withstand the storm, they believed they would drown. They were scared. Jesus wanted them to have faith to believe the Lord is greater than the storm. As we wait on the Lord for an answer in our trials, when it feels like the Lord is sleeping and doesn’t seem to care, we can take our eyes of our problems and look to the Lord, our Helper. He will work in ways we may not arrive at on our own. Turning to God in our trials is a simple truth that needs to be nurtured in our lives as it can energize our hearts and walk with God when we see God transform us from within.

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It’s so true.

We don’t need advanced, elite knowledge.

Just faithful meditation and prayer on the basic idea.

Your post reminds me of what Jesus said: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for their is the kingdom of God.

As we depend on God, we are strengthened to thrive in God’s kingdom.

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This is so in line with what I looked at this morning with my kids. Each morning we alternate an OT scripture and a NT scripture, but on Fridays we turn to a Christian biography instead. Our biography this term is of Gladys Aylward. As I was reading these words from her this morning, I had to pause, shed a few tears, and carry on (which my daughter always finds amusing!):

On Monday, the 24th, a man who could speak a little English entered my [train] compartment. We managed to carry on a rather difficult conversation, but it was good to have someone to talk to. We asked each other many questions and, through him, the conductor was able to tell me that the trains were not running to Harbin, so I would probably be held up at the border. This, of course, gave me a very anxious night. What would I do if I was stranded here, thousands of miles from anyone who could help me? Then I thought, I am failing my God. He isn’t thousands of miles away. He is right beside me. Why should I worry about my journey when God is helping me all the time? Even if I could have done so, I would not have turned back, for I believed God was going to reveal Himself in a wonderful way.

A couple of pages later she continues about her wrestle of faith and fear:

It was bitterly cold. The wind howled around me, bringing with it fine, powdered snow. I sat on my luggage - miserable, cold and hungry - somewhere near the Manchurian border with not a soul in sight. I thought I would freeze to death, and for the first time real doubts came to my mind.
“Oh God, is it worth it?” I cried.
Like a flash came the answer: “Be not afraid, remember I am the Lord”. (Gladys Aylward- The Little Woman, by Gladys Aylward and Christine Hunter)

The story continues along the same lines, each time she chooses faith in God over fears of circumstances, and God strengthens her heart at each step. Exactly as @lakshmi said, we need to nurture our faith in God and habits of turning to him in trouble.

Obviously I am going to cry my way through this whole book!

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Thanks for sharing this @alison. When we know there are people who faced similar fears as we do and even more and made it to the finish line, its encouraging.

It seems like a common sense thing to do as Christians and yet it is often not the natural response . I pray that each day it gets easier to live this truth for all of us.

Its great you are making it a practice to read both scripture and real life application of it through biographies with your children.

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